Surge in pleas for help to homeless charity

The number of people at risk of homelessness and seeking information from Focus Ireland soared by 76% last year, according to the organisation’s annual report. 

It reveals that 4,400 people who were either homeless or at risk of losing their home contacted the charity last year, up from 2,500 in 2012.

Focus Ireland said that while it did expand its operations last year, it did so only to meet demand, amid a growing social housing crisis and fears of a wave of ‘new homeless’ cases sparked by house repossessions.